Marigold

Chapter 6 - Meira

The glass doors slid open and skidded inside the building. I was hoping the animal was too big to fit inside the doors and not strong enough to break through the windows, although I doubted that was the case. I'd finally learned my lesson about looking back and kept running through all the tables. I was glad to see that Violet was ducked down between shelves. At least she had been safe the whole time. 

I dropped between two rows of books without paying any attention to where I was as I heard the door slide open again. I could only hope that the dragon couldn't scent me with all the smells of everyone who passed through the library over the past few days. 

"Girl!" I hear called out in what I could only guess is an Irish or Scottish accent, "Where did you go?"

I peak through shelves and see a man walking into the library. He was over six feet tall, probably closer to six-five, had hair so dark it almost looked black, and golden toned skin with some type of tribal design covering his arms. Oh and he was completely naked. 

My eyes felt wide as saucers and my mouth fell open as I saw all that he had to work with down below. None of the men my mother had forced at me had been nearly as well developed. The thought of my past and what my family had tried to force quickly put out any traces of lust had me curling into a ball between the shelves trying to get small enough I wouldn't be found. 

"Who would name a dragon Goldie?" that voice called again sounding like it was moving farther away, "That sounds like a pony or puppy dog, not something fierce like a dragon." He laughed. I shivered and scooted further into the shadows. 

"Girl, come out. I just want to talk," he called. What a typical thing to say. Did he really think I was naive enough to just appear since he 'Just wanted to talk'. All the guys try that and it's never what they mean. It sounded like he was moving closer to me now. 

I try to hold my breathe and close my eyes hoping that will make it harder to find me. At this point I'm shaking hard enough that the dragon could reappear and start an earthquake and I wouldn't be able to tell. "Don't you think a dragon deserves a strong name like killer or shredder or destroyer..." he is still trying to talk and doesn't seem concerned at all that he is chasing someone naked through a public library. 

He passes one aisle over from me. A small whimper escapes from my throat. I hear his steps stop and it takes all my effort not to allow the panic on the edge of mind to turn into a full blown panic attack. That would be the opposite of helpful right now. When I finally open my eyes again, it is to see some crystalline blue ones looking back at me. I back against the shelf and feel some books tumbling around me.

"Easy girl," he says bending down to get closer to my level, "I won't hurt you. I can't. My name is Desmond but I guess you can call me Goldie and you are my mate."